Lead Data and Platform Engineer in London

Curve is a next-gen insights, analytics and technology consultancy that leverages digital consumer data and advanced technology to help businesses unlock consumer opportunities. Digital consumer data is powerful; it's big, it's real, and it's always updating. We use a combination of in-house technology and bespoke solutions, powered by AI, to transform data from sources such as Social, Reviews, Search, and broader marketing and sales data. These reveal fresh insights for our clients; helping them to build better products and brands, to deliver effective marketing to consumers.

Our software, machine learning and AI are key to how we deliver impact, centred on:

• Natural Language Processing, GPT & other LLMs: unearthing trends, themes and other patterns from large text-based data sets, and deploying state-of-the-art AI to automate and empower consumer facing businesses and their insights & analytics functions.
• Marketing Data Science & Personalisation: using first party consumer data to understand each client's consumer base, building personalisation and other machine learning models to better engage with and excite consumers.
• Data & Platform Engineering, & Architecture: data and platform engineering across a variety of platforms, to integrate these leading technologies into optimised and efficient data models and ecosystems, feeding into best-in-class analytics dashboards, marketing activation, AI Agents and front-end platforms.
• Software Engineering: full stack expertise to build, maintain and support internal and externally facing Software & Data as a Service solutions, in AWS, that accelerate delivery and unlock deeper insights for our clients.

As a start-up, we can move faster than most companies and do things differently. We have experienced rapid growth so far and we’re looking for a Lead Data & Platform Engineer to join our growing team.

About the role

You will join our Technology Practice, leading the design, build, and deployment of innovative data and AI platform solutions in the cloud. You’ll report directly to the Head of Technology and manage and collaborate with members of our fantastic team of 35+ Data & AI Engineers, Software Engineers, and Architects to deliver and manage innovative projects that push the boundaries of what we can do with data and AI at scale.

You’ll represent Curve Technology; interfacing with technical stakeholders from our clients and members of our Insights & Analytics team. This will require a combination of strong technical understanding, and an aptitude and excitement to lead, mentor, and guide others.

In addition to client work, you will play a key part in shaping the future of our fast-growing start-up, supporting the development of our great team of Data Engineers and Platform Engineers. You will shape architecture and engineering standards for a global-scale platform, drive best practices, and set the strategic direction for platform, data, and AI architecture. We’ll let you challenge yourself, from a core of Data & Platform Engineering to support our AI and DevOps work. You’ll also grow your solution and cloud architecture knowledge, and understand the business and strategic impact of your engineering work – to whatever extent suits you.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead technical delivery of strategic programs, taking ownership for designing and building innovative data and AI platform solutions, including managing teams of Data Scientists & Engineers, Platform Engineers, and DevOps specialists.
• Work with a mix of cloud services (majoring in Databricks and Azure, alongside AWS and GCP).
• Support in setting the direction and vision of the Data & AI Engineering part of our business, putting in place frameworks and guidance to support colleagues in reaching this vision, instilling a culture of quality, reliability, and innovation in the team.
• Design and build end-to-end AI and data platform solutions that scale globally, leveraging cloud-native technologies, agentic frameworks, and data models that drive business value.
• Develop and deploy automated ETL/ELT pipelines using Python, PySpark, and SQL to bring together best-in-class technologies, ensuring that systems are secure, scalable, and meet our clients' needs.
• Design Data and Solution Architectures, ensuring robustness, security, and scalability.
• Help deploy AI Capabilities and machine learning models, focusing on monitoring and orchestration in production environments at enterprise scale.
• Act as a technical counterpart to a project lead from our Consulting practice, alongside Product Managers, Data Scientists, and Analysts, and interface with client stakeholders.
• Interrogate rich data sources such as social, search, surveys, reviews, clickstream, sales, and connected devices to extract insights.
• Identify and explore opportunities to acquire new data sources that deliver innovative perspectives to our clients.
• Work with increasing autonomy to shape the data engineering, AI, and technology work we do now and in the future.
• Drive the creation and enforcement of platform engineering standards, ensuring that all products and solutions are built on a solid, scalable, and sustainable foundation.
• Document and share best practices and lessons learned, ensuring the team is continuously improving.

What we’re looking for

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in an applicable field such as Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, or similar Science or Engineering discipline.
• A track record of developing leading data solutions and AI platforms (likely 4+ years professional experience) in cloud environments such as Azure, AWS, or GCP – including Databricks.
• Expert in designing efficient physical data models/schemas and developing ETL/ELT scripts for large organizations or data platforms.
• Experience in designing and maintaining scalable AI platforms and systems, with a focus on security, observability, and operational excellence.
• Strong experience leading teams and managing individuals, with a focus on mentoring and growing talent.
• Strong Python and other programming skills (PySpark/Scala desirable).
• Strong SQL background and experience working with big data technologies (Spark, Hadoop, Presto, etc.).
• Works well collaboratively, and independently, with a proven ability to form and manage strong relationships within the organization and with clients.
• Ability to support others and clients in understanding and applying technical best practices.
• Proactively identifies issues and opportunities to improve code, methods, practices, and team performance.

Nice to haves or excited to learn

• Experience of Solution, Integration, and Network Architecture design.
• Experience utilizing consumer datasets such as eCommerce, CRM, and Social Media.
• Experience of Object-Oriented Programming, CI/CD pipelines, and broader DevOps technologies and practices.
• Experience setting technology and data strategies, shaping technical teams, and defining ways of working.
• Experience with AI monitoring, orchestration, and managing agentic systems at scale.

Competitive Salary: We offer a competitive salary, that reflects your talent and expertise in accordance with industry standards.

Annual Leave: 25 days holiday a year plus bank holidays.

Annual Bonus: Our Annual Bonus is based on company and individual performance.

Generous Pension: You can expect to receive a generous 8% employers’ pension contribution.

Health and Wellbeing: Access our Cycle to Work Scheme and prioritise your health with our comprehensive AXA Private Healthcare Plan and 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme. You will also be assigned a dedicated People Manager for confidential discussions about your work life.

Hybrid Working: Split your time between working remotely and from our London HQ.

Growth and Development: Development is at the heart of everything we do. You will be able to create a Personalised Growth Plan and get involved in our internal trainings. You will also get a yearly individual learning budget for training, books, courses, certifications, and conferences.

Vibrant Company Culture: Be part of a dynamic company culture with frequent team activities, company events and socials that foster a strong sense of community among our diverse team.

We’re looking for candidates who really want to make an impact. Join us! Send us your CV and a brief covering letter in your application about why you would be a good fit for the role.

Curve is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need. If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process then please don’t hesitate to let us know.